1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with respect to the field of fencing constructions and discloses methods of assembly thereof particularly adapted for use with thermoplastic fencing materials such as polyvinyl chloride. Normally such fencing parts are secured with respect to one another by the application of a glue or adhesive to the abutting securement surfaces. This glue or adhesive dissolves or melts the surface of the thermoplastic material such that it firmly bonds with other thermoplastic material with which it is brought into abutment. The present invention provides a unique construction method which allows the use of ultrasonic welding which greatly decreases the assembly time and increases the efficiency of the overall fencing construction method and of the construction of the fencing itself.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various methods of constructions are used for thermoplastic fencing such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,343 patented Nov. 17, 1981 to J. A. Jonelis and assigned to Western Electric Company, Incorporated on “Methods And Assemblies For Mounting Parts”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,425 patented Oct. 1, 1985 to D. J. Provolo and assigned to Stewart-Warner Corporation on a “Method For Attaching Wheels To Dual Wheel Casters, Including Ultrasonic Welding”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,438 patented Feb. 11, 1986 to R. J. Sheffler and assigned to Revlon, Inc. on a “Container Having Fluid-Tight Seal”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,516 patented Oct. 21, 1986 to T. B. Sager and assigned to Branson Ultrasonics Corporation on an “Ultrasonic Welding Of Thermoplastic Workpieces”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,685 patented Dec. 23, 1986 to D. A. Peter and assigned to General Motors Corporation on a “Method And Apparatus For Ultrasonic Plastic Forming And Joining”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,095 patented Sep. 6, 1988 to T. B. Sager and assigned to Branson Ultrasonics Corporation on a “Method Of Closing An Open Ended Thermoplastic Body”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,555 patented Apr. 30, 1991 to T. B. Sager and assigned to Branson Ultrasonics Corporation on a “Method Of Ultrasonically Cutting And Sealing Thermoplastic Workpieces Particularly A Filter”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,837 patented Apr. 6, 1993 to D. Goss and assigned to Textron Inc. on an “Ultrasonic Insert Stud And Method Of Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,717 patented Aug. 24, 1993 to M. A. Boylan and assigned to Pall Corporation on “End Caps For Filter Elements”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,900 patented Apr. 19, 1994 to J. E. Zulick, III et al on a “Plastic Security Handrail System And Connectors Therefor”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,499 patented Nov. 1, 1994 to N. M. Savovic et al and assigned to Motorola, Inc. on a “Method For Positioning An Object Relative To A Structural Member”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,342 patented Mar. 28, 1995 to D. E. Vincent et al and assigned to DEKA Products Limited Partnership on a “Process And Energy Director For Ultrasonic Welding And Joint Produced Thereby”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,616 patented May 2, 1995 to V. D. Desai et al and assigned to Motorola, Inc. on a “Method For Ultrasonically Welding Thin-Walled Components”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,775 patented May 28, 1996 to S. R. Fischl et al and assigned to Motorola, Inc. on an “Energy Director For Ultrasonic Weld Joint”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,808 patented Jul. 30, 1996 to D. E. Vincent et al and assigned to DEKA Products Limited Partnership on an “Energy Director For Ultrasonic Welding And Joint Produced Thereby”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,575 patented Jul. 21, 1998 to D. E. Vincent et al and assigned to DEKA Products Limited Partnership on an “Ultrasonically Welded Joint”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,300 patented Nov. 3, 1998 to K. Suzuki et al and assigned to Star Micronics Co., Ltd. on a “Method Of Ultrasonic Welding For A Resin Case”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,706 patented Jan. 5, 1999 to D. A. Grewell and assigned to Branson Ultrasonics Corporation on “Simultaneous Amplitude And Force Profiling During Ultrasonic Welding Of Thermoplastic Workpieces”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,239 patented May 4, 1999 to M, L. Coulis and assigned to Associated Materials, Incorporated on a “Tubular Fencing Components Formed From Plastic Sheet Material”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,584 patented Jul. 20, 1999 to S. P. Hellstrom et al and assigned to Abbott Laboratories on a “Container Closure With A Frangible Seal And A Connector For A Fluid Transfer Device”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,201 patented Dec. 14, 1999 to D. E. Vincent et al and assigned to Deka Products Limited Partnership on a “Process And Energy Director For Welding And Joint Produced Thereby”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,216 patented May 23, 2000 to E. F. Ruppel, Jr. and assigned to Biometric Imaging, Inc. on a “Mesa Forming Weld Depth Limitation Feature For Use With Energy Director In Ultrasonic Welding”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,901 patented May 30, 2000 to J. Medal and assigned to Unimation, Inc. on an “Ultrasonic Energy Directing Attachment Of Plastic Parts To One Another”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,953 patented Jan. 23, 2001 to B. D. Landreth et al and assigned to Motorola, Inc. on an “Ultrasonic Welding Process”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,777 patented Apr. 24, 2001 to J. E. Clarke et al and assigned to Lucent Technologies Inc. on “Methods And Apparatus For Producing Ultrasonic Weld Joints For Injection Molded Plastic Parts”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,508 patented May 8, 2001 to R. Kassanits et al and assigned to Spraying Systems Co. on a “Process For Preparing A Metal Body Having A Hermetic Seal”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,551 patented Sep. 18, 2001 to T. M. Nguyen and assigned to FCI USA, Inc. on an “Electrical Connector Having Ultrasonically Welded Housing Pieces”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,866 patented Sep. 10, 2002 to V. A. Kagan et al and assigned to Honeywell International Inc. on “Frictionally Welded Thermoplastic Articles Having Improved Strength”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,461,763 patented Oct. 8, 2002 to J. D. Witzigreuter et al and assigned to The Gillette Company on a “Battery Cartridge”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,461,765 patented Oct. 8, 2002 to J. D. Witzigreuter and assigned to Aer Energy Resources Inc. on a “Metal-Air Cell Housing With Improved Peripheral Seal Design”; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,204,898 patented Apr. 17, 2007 to J. Fattori and assigned to LMT Mercer Group Inc. on a “Thermoplastic Fencing Construction And Method Of Assembly Thereof”.